1080 Avalanche

"Has Weak Points, but Overall Still a Solid Game"

1080 is simply for fun, not for those gamers who are expecting anything to get into depth or a great story.

Graphics: 8

The graphics are clear, and the environments are very nice, just not too detailed. There is an array of courses which you could choose from that look varied, but half of them are very similar. Those courses which don't look similar are great though, especially ones that take place in towns or during dawn/dusk. The effects are nice as well, especially the boulders as they try to smash you, and the avalanche is frightening.

Gameplay: 8

What more could I say? It's a snowboarding game that involves snowboarding. The gameplay is simple enough for beginners to get good quickly, but the game is hard to master. They offer different modes of difficulty, however even the hardest modes are easy once you get the best boards. There are extra modes such as trick attack, where you do actual snowboarding moves in order to gain points, and multiplayer where you can race your friends to the finish. These add some extra time to the game, but are still lacking.

Controls: 8

The controls are very well done, and responsive. Sometimes turning sharp requires slowing down, but for the most part you are able to make most turns they give you during the game. However, the controls for getting good combos on the half pipes are extremely frustrating, and sometimes just take button mashing.

Sound: 9

The sound is great, and half the sounds are catchy (which is a good thing). In a snowboarding game, sound really isn't important as long as the music isn't obnoxious, and that certainly isn't the case.

Overall: 7

Now, you may be wondering why I gave all categories an 8 or higher, but overall the game is 7. This is because 1080 is fun for about 10 or less hours of gameplay, then it becomes one of those games you only touch once every year or so. After you unlock all of the courses, the game quickly becomes boring and repetitive, if only there were more things you could do in the game to keep you interested.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/09/06